There is a tower on the grounds of the hero integration complex.
Any new hero is sent there before they are allowed to partake in any further activities.
In it they would be faced with the same obstacle.
Some of them walked out as different people.
"Get up."
Her legs gave out.
*BOOM!*
The blood splattered on to her cheek and ran down her chin.
Another ray of light through the shadow.
*BOOM!*
And another one.
*BOOM!*
"Get up!" She echoed to herself.
*BOOM!*
She slammed her fists down to her legs.
"PLEASE GET UP!!!"
Her tears mixed with his blood.
But then she realized that she could still move her hands.
Stretching them out with her palms open, her arms were all jittery.
Even so, the air around them grew more and more cold. She could see her breath before—
*BOOM!*
It dissipated.
Her breathing grew rapid and deep. Her eyes were fixed upon his figure, still standing there for her.
The plastic containers became stained in red. They ceased to move.
"I have to get closer."
Jin loosened them from his belt, dropping to the ground, and began to run with his arms still stretched out to the sides.
She repeatedly slammed her fists down.
"Please! He is going to die!"
Aurelio turned around with a dazed look, his mouth slightly hanging, unblinking.
Another one whose eyes have lost their spark.
It was replaced with a green shimmer.
Azalea looked upwards to see that same sight once more.
A blinding green.
If it wasn't for him she would be able to stand.
No.
It was all thanks to Jin that they were still here.
"Why can't I stand up..."
*BOOM!!!*
A shot louder than the others.
Her eyes widened when the big figure, a man like a shield, received a large hole all the way through his chest.
Where even was the shooter? He must be far away, or Jin's large figure was simply obstructing the view.. of course. Even now he was protecting them.
She felt ashamed of herself, thinking back.
He is the one that would hold her back the most. so she had believed.
The most useless member of the trio right now was—
Suddenly a green laser beam appeared from over her right shoulder.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
As soon as it dissipated in the blink of an eye, Aurelio held his palm over his right eye.
He curled up from the pain.
"Wh— What happened?"
She tried to reach out to him.
Something fell out of his pocket. A small packet with some blue gel in it.
"Oh..."
Looking closer, his sclera had become pure red. She feared it might burst at any moment.
If she could control her power better, maybe she could help him without it, but she pressed the ice pack to his eye.
Using his power destroyed his body.
She turned her head to Jin.
"Just like him."
He stood still. Still standing. But so far away.
Despite the distance, a hole that size would be obvious to see.
However the hole in his chest had vanished.
"Is it over?"
Jin stretched his hand out to the sky.
Peace.
He collapsed backwards to the ground.
- - -
The two of them laid there in their respective patches of grass.
Aurelio's gaze was upon the burning city.
A faint noise grew closer and closer.
Their bangs violently flapped back and forth in the wind.
Another helicopter. Aurelio gulped.
Two soldiers rushed out with a stretcher.
They knew about Jin's state? Azalea touched her collar and realized.
Before they could even attempt to enter the helicopter, another one appeared from somewhere else and just hopped in.
"Where did he come from...?" Aurelio asked, surprising since he seemed so out of it before.
"He's probably the pilot from before."
His eyes widened.
We enter the vehicle one by one.
It was quite cramped. A chopper, she thinks it was called, would be larger, right?
In the first place, why not a jet? We could have arrived here faster before Aurelio freaked out.. no, maybe that would have caused more damage... wait.....
Did they predict this would happen?
Did they sent us on a heli, expecting it to be trashed?
Those thoughts aside, she was just glad she was alive, as well as Aurelio.. but Jin...
They laid him down on the floor between their rows of seats.
"Hows the fuel?"
The former pilot asked.
"Better than yours!"
"Hahaha!"
Wha... what are they talking about? She glared at them.
"Guess they won't let me fly for a while."
He looked bashful, scratching his temple.
"No shit. You always sucked at flying anyway."
"Hey!"
He bumped his shoulder with his fist and they continued laughing.
What is going on.. what were our lives worth to them? Or the people...
She looked upon Aurelio. He had looked dejected before but right now, his usually blue eyes were shining green ever so slightly.
- - -
Azalea looked upon the bodies of their enemies. They wore some camo patterned uniform. They looked like foreign military.
One had burn marks across his face. The other had a hole in the middle of his chest.
The burns make sense, that was most likely Aurelio's doing but how did that hole come to be.
"Transfer... oh my god..."
She held her mouth in realization of what that power entailed.
Swiftly, the Conman entered the room.
"You three did well so I hear. However, this operation was a complete disaster."
It all went by so quick, Azalea only remembered the feeling of hopelessness.
Just like he did on the battlefield, Aurelio was looking nowhere in particular, anywhere but meeting his gaze.
Before Azalea manages to talk to him, she was interrupted.
"Well, we didn't expect that not only did those villains find our spies and fed us false information, they also did that terror attack on the city. What a tragedy."
The Conman said with a grin.
Aurelio's body twitched. His expression, she couldn't see from where she stood.
"They shot down your helicopter and send it crashing into the unsuspecting public."
His fist clenched.
"THAT'S A LIE!"
Aurelio screamed.
The Conman put a finger in front of his lips, it happened so fast.
"It was the villain's doing. Understood?"
Still grinning. This was the pinnacle of entertainment to him.
- - -
Jin remained unconscious. The two of them were right next to the infirmary bed.
Aurelio looked to the outside, at the clouds tinged by moonlight. His eyes remained unfocused.
Azalea sat right next to Jin's lying form, watching his stomach move up and down to make sure he was breathing.
"Please wake up..."
She began to stroke his bangs out of his face.
"If you lost some weight you would be pretty handsome."
She giggled to herself.
"We are going to have our first test... I am sure they will send you out again once you wake up.... should I fail on purpose?"
It felt like he could open his eyes at any moment.
The blonde man was earshot didn't flinch. Perhaps he had similar plans.
"Get well soon, my hero."
- - -
It would take him a week to wake up.
His previous record was 3 days. It was right when he received his power.
Back then, he woke up in the tower and was forced to take a life.
He doesn't want to think about it again.
This time, he simply woke up on the infirmary bed.
The last he remembered was running towards and grabbing some guy who shot at him with a rifle.
Instead of a ceiling however, he gazed upon glaringly bright red eyes.
"Finally."
A voice he hadn't heard before.
"Now you are mine."
The corners of her mouths spread wide into a toothy grin.
"From now on you are my secret weapon. We will get out of here soon enough."
She had long and beautifully straight platinum blonde hair, sharp eyes like a hawk.
If he wasn't so terrified at being unable to move, he might have fallen in love with the woman straddling him on this bed.